Earlier text: The Mother's Duty—Christ Her StrengthProphecy of Great Use.
By C. A. Osgood
FOR the most part the events of the future are hidden from mortals. Yet it has pleased God at certain times to reveal to mankind through "his servants the prophets," things which were to come to pass. Although many in the present age regard the prophetic scriptures as nearly or quite useless, yet facts abundantly show that rich blessings are connected with understanding and taking heed to what God has revealed through this means. So Peter said, "We have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place." 2 Peter 1 : 19. If we have nothing to do with studying the prophecies, then a large part of the Bible is unprofitable to us, but Paul informs us that "all Scripture is profitable." 2 Tim. 3 : 16. But let us "search the Scriptures" and see what good has resulted in times past from understanding and taking heed to what God revealed concerning events then future. Noah and his family knew nothing of the coming flood till God made it known to them. God revealed the fact that his Spirit would cease to strive with men when the one hundred and twenty years of his long-suffering should end. He commanded Noah to build an ark for the saving of his house. He believed God's word, and obeyed, and so, when the billows of death overwhelmed the ungodly, unbelieving world, he was saved with his household. It was well that angels were sent to Sodom to tell Lot of the destruction that was to come upon that, and the neighboring cities. These were overthrown by a storm of fire and brimstone, but Lot, having taken heed to the friendly warning, made his escape before the wrath of God was poured out. By a dream which the king of Egypt had, and which Joseph interpreted, the Lord made known to mankind that there would be seven years of great plenty in Egypt, and following them seven years of great scarcity. Well was it for the inhabitants of Egypt, Canaan, and all lands, that these things were revealed beforehand. So in the years of plenty, provision was made for the years of famine which followed, and multitudes were saved from starvation. Our Saviour foretold the judgments that were to come upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem in consequence of their rejection of Christ, and the truths he taught. He told his disciples how they might know when its desolation would be near and what to do then. Said he, "When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh ; then let them that are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let them that are in the midst thereof depart out ; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto." Luke 21 : 20, 21. Thus our Lord told his disciples how they might know when those things would take place and what they should then do. They took notice of the sign Jesus had given them, and when they saw it they fled to the mountains, and it is not known that a single Christian perished at that time. Here we see how prophecy shone "as a light in a dark place." And how well it was for those who walked in its light. In many other cases prophecy has been to the children of God what a lantern is to a traveler in a dark night. But it is in the latest period of probationary time, just before the Saviour's second coming that the greatest benefit is to be gained from the prophetic word. True, many suppose that that day will come upon the saint and the sinner alike unexpectedly. But is this in harmony with God's dealings with his people in the past? We know it is not. In former ages when God was about to pour out his judgments upon guilty nations they were warned through the prophets. And will events far more fearful than any that have ever occurred, come to pass without any warning? It is indeed said of the wicked in Noah's day that they "knew not until the flood came and took them all away." And so it is said of the unbelieving world when the Lord appear, "When they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come upon THEM, and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. 5 : 3. But what is said to the children of God. "But ye brethren are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief." God is sending warnings to the people by the three messages of Revelation 14. He has also given signs in the heavens and upon the earth. The darkening of the sun and moon in 1780, and the falling of the stars in 1833, were some of the things that the Saviour said would show that his coming was near. Matt. 24 : 29. Then there were to be, upon the earth, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. Acts 2 : 19; distress of nations with perplexity ; the sea and the waves roaring, etc. Luke 21 : 25. The Saviour said, "When ye see all these things come to pass, know that he is nigh, even at the doors." Although we are gravely told by many that it is of no consequence to know anything about the period of Christ's coming, he has commanded his people to know it when these signs appear. What he has commanded is highly important to obey. In Heb. 9 : 28, it is said : Christ "was once offered to bear the sins of many, and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation." He comes then to save them that look for him, but what will become of those that do not look for him? To that servant who shall say, "My Lord delayeth his coming," his "lord will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder and appoint his portion with the hypocrites." Matt. 24 : 48. This will be the fearful result of not watching and knowing the time. Again, in Luke 21 : 34, 36, Christ said, "Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares." "Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Just before this he had pointed out the signs which would show his coming near, and now he tells them what to do, and what not to do, in order that that event might be a joyful one to them, and not an awful disaster. Thus we may see the great goodness of God in erecting light-houses in different ages for the safety of his people, that they might escape impending dangers. Never were the dangers so numerous and so great as now, and never did the light of prophecy shine more brightly than now. Reader, will you study "the sure word of prophecy," walk in its light, and secure eternal salvation? The American Bible Society and the Baptists.
IN the early years of the American Bible Society the Baptists, as well as others, contributed their money to its support. In 1835 a by-law was passed by the Society discriminating against certain versions made by Baptist missionaries; and the Baptists, all but a very few, considering themselves unjustly excluded from common rights in the Society, withdrew from its support. We remember how earnestly Dr. Leavitt and others not Baptists, opposed this action of the Society. Four years ago, in a revision of the rules, this by-law was omitted. This action was regarded by many as an abandonment by the Society of its previous position, and a circular was issued by certain prominent Baptists declaring that, in their view, no reason existed why Baptists should not resume their former position in support of the Society; but, to test the matter, an application was made for aid to circulate the Burmese translation of the Bible by Dr. Judson. After some delay, this application has been directly refused, the Society adhering to the principle of the by-law of 1835. The anticipated reunion is, therefore, broken off; Dr. Howard Osgood, the Baptist member of the Society's Committee on Versions, resigns his position; and the alienation of the Baptists from co-operation with the Society may now be considered permanent. We are glad to say that again a strong and able minority was opposed to the decision. The Burmese version of Dr. Judson, who was a man of scholarship as well as Christian zeal, is admitted by the English Bishop of Rangoon to be "a model of idiomatic rendering and of faithful and painstaking labor." The Society condemns it merely on the ground that it translates the Greek word for baptizo by a Burmese word meaning immerse. That this is a mistranslation the Society does not declare. That it is not a legitimate rendering no true scholar would assert. When the late Dean Stanley declared "on philological grounds it is quite correct to translate John the Baptist by John the Immerser," he gave the opinion of the real scholars of all sects. The latest standard lexicons—as Cremer's, Wilke's, and that of Sophocles—define baptism as immersion and they give it no other meaning. The same thing will be seen in the later editions of Liddell & Scott. Martin Luther had some skill at Bible-translating; but he says that the Greek word baptism "Latine potest verti mersio," and old John Calvin, who would compare very well with most of the Bible Society's officials, says "Ipsum baptizandi verbum mergere significat." No one will say that, in rendering into Burmese the passage from the Septuagint which says that Naaman baptized himself seven times in the Jordan, it would be unscholarly to translate baptizo by a word which means immerse. No more can it be called unscholarly if, in the account of John's baptizing, the same Greek word is rendered by the same word in Burmese. When we say that the Greek baptizo can be legitimately translated by immerse we do not imply that it follows that all baptism must be by immersion, any more than, in translating presbuteros by elder, we assert that no young man can be elected to the presbyterial office. At worst, the translation immerse might be infelicitous, as it might be infelicitous to translate denarius by "fifteen cents." The officials of the Society do not charge that Dr. Judson's translation is unscholarly; they condemn it simply because it is a translation. They declare that the Greek word shall not be rendered into the vernacular; but must be transferred from the one language to the other, simply transliterated into the Burmese sentence. They do not say that there is no word in the Burmese to express the act of Naaman and of John, an act so common that one can hardly conceive a language so meager as not to have a word of its own therefore; they do not say that some other Burmese word would present the Greek idea better than the word Dr. Judson has chosen; they say that the Greek word must not be rendered into Burmese at all, but simply transferred, so that its original meaning shall not be expressed. To be consistent, they should forbid anything to be made known of John's place of baptizing at Ænon, near to Salim, except that "there was hudata polla there," and of Philip and the Eunuch it should be reticently divulged merely that "they katebais eis the water" and "anebais ek the water." If it be wrong to give the exact meaning of the word denoting a certain act, we ought to becloud the mention of the attending circumstances, lest they disclose the nature of the act.137 When a translator like Judson claims, and no better scholar stands forth to deny, that a certain Greek word is adequately rendered by a certain Burmese word; for the Society to say that the vernacular term shall not be used, but that the Greek word, which, of course, to the native will be utterly meaningless, must be transferred to the Burmese page is to say that the New Testament shall not be placed before the Burman as clearly as it lay before the eyes of the Greek peasant. The Society is guilty of the most outrageous obscurantism. It binds its vast powers to the work of suppressing a complete knowledge of the meaning of Holy Writ. It plants itself squarely on the position of the Church of Rome—the position that the common people shall not be allowed every word of the Scripture's page, to read it with their own eyes and draw from it what conclusions they think reasonable; but that a portion, at least, of the sacred oracles shall merely be doled out to them by their spiritual guides. The Society says that the meaning of this Greek word shall not be given the Burman through an equivalent word of the vernacular. It must be imparted to him only through the explanations of the missionary. This is not the Protestant but only the Roman Catholic system of Bible translation. There may be weighty reasons in the case of this Greek word for transferring it to the Burmese, as there may be for preferring the transferred denarius and presbyter to fifteen cents and elder; but none are evident except sectarian ones, and our objection is that the Society should stringently forbid a legitimate translation and require a transfer. The officials of the Bible Society are guilty of real sectarianism. It is vain to deny that the only objection they have to Judson's translation is that it may have a certain effect in certain controversies. But what has the Bible Society to do with sectarian controversies? If a certain translation is incorrect, let them condemn it. But what have they to do with the question how it will affect this or that dispute? If a certain translation seems to be scholarly, they should publish it, no matter what effect it may have on ecclesiastical conflicts. The officials of the Society abandon the majestic neutrality of scholarship and the love of truth which asks merely whether a given version is correct. They stoop to inquire how it will affect the interests of contending sects. Gentlemen of the big brick house, it is not a right thing to do! The only question you have a right to ask is whether the translation of Dr. Judson is faithful to the Greek. If it is not, condemn it; if it is, then publish it, no matter what parties of controversialists be helped or hindered thereby. You were not appointed, gentlemen, to watch the interests of contending sects, but to circulate correct translations of the Scriptures; and for you to refuse to circulate a given version, not because it is incorrect, but because it may have a certain effect on certain controversies, is a violation of the solemn trusts committed to your charge.—The N. Y. Independent. HOPE BEYOND.
By William Henry Burleigh
STILL will we trust, though earth seems dark and dreary,
And the heart faint beneath His chastening rod;
Though rough and steep our pathway, worn and weary,
Still will we trust in God! Our eyes see dimly till by faith anointed,
And our blind choosing brings us grief and pain;
Through Him alone who hath our way appointed
We find our peace again. Choose for us, God! nor let our weak preferring
Cheat our poor souls of good thou hast designed;
Choose for us, God! thy wisdom is unerring;
And we are fools and blind. So from our sky the Night shall furl her shadows,
And Day pour gladness through his golden gates;
Our rough path leads to flower-enameled meadows,
Where joy our coming waits. Let us press on in patient self-denial,
Accept the hardship, shrink not from the loss;
Our guerdon lies beyond the power of trial
Our crown beyond the cross.
— William Henry Burleigh. The Sabbath-School.
By W. C. White
To the Sabbath-Schools in California.
SINCE our last annual meeting I have written but little about the Sabbath-school work in our State, because other branches of our work have demanded my entire time and strength. I desire to give more attention to this work hereafter, and as we are now near the close of the Lesson Year it seems best to make some suggestions about future work. Very soon our Primary Classes which began with new books last April, will have completed them, and it must be decided what each scholar shall study the coming year. In some schools the Record Books are nearly filled, and new ones should be provided, and various changes and improvements should be planned to make the next year as successful as possible. In many of our schools the classification is quite imperfect, especially of the younger scholars, from the fact that there are so few of the same ability and advancement, that those of very different qualifications are associated in one class, and also because removals and additions frequently disarrange a good classification. Where there are persons qualified and willing to teach, the scholars should be grouped according to their ability, if it requires the formation of quite small classes. We regard six as a desirable number for a primary class, and eight for adult classes. But in most cases it would be better to have less rather than more. Between this time and April 8th, from which date the next quarter should be reckoned, all necessary changes should be planned. Those scholars now completing the study of Book Number One, should be examined carefully as to their knowledge of the history it covers, and as to their ability to comprehend the more difficult lessons of Number Two; this of course will require a careful examination of Number Two, before any are promoted to its study. Only those who have mastered the first book, and are able to comprehend the second, should be promoted. The others should study the first book another year. Hunt up some new ones to join the class, and give them their old teacher if possible. Let that teacher study the subject so much more thoroughly and teach so much better than he did the previous year that the lessons will have new interest to the class. Those classes using books Number Two and Three should be examined in the same way. Book Number Four is now being printed, and will be ready in a few weeks. We have been pained while visiting some schools to see youth and even children in the senior classes. They could trace the history and memorize scripture, but were not prepared to comprehend the more difficult lessons which the senior classes are now studying. The first lesson in the Instructor, headed "Scenes in the Life of Christ," is written especially for them, and is exactly suited to their wants. Therefore those who but partially comprehend the lessons of the senior class, should be united to or formed into an intermediate division. We are procuring some helpful class maps especially suited to the wants of this division which we shall mention in a few weeks. W. C. WHITE,
Pres. of State S. S. Association. Teaching to Profit.
By Inglis
1. In the first place, teachers should endeavor to convince their scholars that religion is a practical thing; so that they must be doers as well as hearers of the word. A child will very soon learn to be content with a form of religion. Formalism is the religion of human nature, and is easily taught. To drive it from the minds of our classes must, therefore, be one of our great duties. Let us teach them that reading the Bible, or learning lessons, or attending school and church, or saying prayers, is not religion, but only guides or helps to religion; that religion is of the heart, and manifests itself in a holy life; that it is like life in a tree, showing itself in leaves, and blossoms, and fruit; that it is not of such a nature as to be able to be taken apart, so that we can say, this is religion, or, that is religion; but that like fire it warms whatever it approaches, and makes a person in everything, in public and private, do all to the glory of God. For this purpose we must map out, as it were, a child's daily life, and show him how he will act if he obeys the Scriptures. Our text, for example, is the parable of the leaven. Were we to describe the sanctifying influence of the gospel, how it has abolished slavery, mitigated the horrors of war, established just laws, and diffused a knowledge of God and salvation to millions untold, we should not have shown the children how the gospel was leaven to them. We must deal more closely with them, and show how, if they have this leaven in their hearts, it will make them honest, truthful, obliging, amiable, prayerful, and obedient. When we teach the fourth commandment, let us not only say, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; but, Remember this Sabbath day: not only, Thou shalt not steal; but, Thou shalt not steal from your mother, your brother, your companions: not only, Render to no man evil for evil; but, Do not give blow for blow, bad words for bad words. See how our Lord sets us an example. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill. But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." 2. Seek to convince the scholars that they themselves guilty. Aim at conviction by direct addresses to the conscience. All teachers must have experienced the difficulty of convincing a child that he is a sinner, and of making him understand the difference between doing good as the means of salvation, and doing good from love to God, and as the fruits of faith—between being saved by works, and working because we are saved. Though we tell them ever so plainly that they cannot be saved by their own doings, the persuasion remains very deep-seated, that if they are good boys and girls, all must be well. It is one powerful means of counteracting this delusion to hold up before them the perfect standard of God's word, and show how miserably they have fallen short of its requirements. We may tell them that God said they were to love their neighbors as themselves, and then enumerate various instances of ill-will, envy, hatred, and revenge, which we know children are usually guilty; or, we may set before them the commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart," and then show how, in going prayerless to bed, in forgetting to thank Him for a quiet night's repose, and in living whole days without one thought of Jesus Christ the Saviour of sinners, they manifested that they did not love God with all their heart. In short, let us make the law a mirror in which they may see their faces all disfigured with sin, and in this way awaken the voice of conscience, God's vicegerent in the soul. Care must be taken not to mistake an appeal to the feelings for an appeal to the conscience. The more earnest teachers are in danger of falling into this error, and thus to mistake the impressions which their address has made. A child may take great pleasure in his religious lessons, never absent himself from the school, and listen with eagerness to every word the teacher utters, and yet be indifferent to true religion. He may be deeply moved even to sobbing and tears, yet have no sorrow for his own sins.—Bible Teaching, by Inglis. WHEN the apostles described the special work to which they had been set apart, they spoke of it under two aspects—prayer and the ministry of the word. The one was as essential as the other, and both were necessary to the right fulfillment of their mission. These exercises are correlative means of usefulness, and must go hand in hand. The most devotional teacher is the most faithful in his labors. Prayer and effort are the secret of his success: but the latter is the public, and the former the private exercise. There is, therefore, more danger of neglecting the closet than the school. Except where there is a deep conscientiousness and much of the Spirit of God in a teacher's soul, public duties are likely to get advantage of the private, and effort to be greater than prayer. In this matter it is specially important to stir up the pure minds of Sabbath-school teachers by way of remembrance, and to urge upon our readers the necessity, privilege, and advantage of prayer. It is good to prepare at home to teach a class in the school, to visit the scholars at their residences, to attend meetings of teachers; but private prayer must not be neglected. The blessing of God is promised in answer to earnest supplication. The efficacy of the Spirit, which is so essential to spiritual instruction, is not obtained by faithful labor, except when that is conjoined with believing prayer. As the seed is not fruitful unless it is refreshed with rain from heaven, so the word of life is profitable to the conversion of souls only when the Holy Spirit, in answer to prayer, descends on the heart where it is planted. The Sabbath-school teacher ought to be much in prayer for himself and for his class. He needs to be prayerful for himself. Personal religion is necessary to his efficient teaching, and this is got by communion with God. The teacher who is engaged in teaching a class ought to be himself religious, experimentally acquainted with the truth of God, and with saving faith in Jesus Christ. "For any one," says an old Puritan, Antony Burgess, "to speak of regeneration, of faith, when a man has no spiritual understanding of these things, is to talk of the sweetness of honey when we have never tasted it; or of the excellence of such a country, which we were never in, but know by maps only. If thou knowest the truth of God but by books, by authors only, and thy own heart feeleth not the power of these things; thou art but as the conduit, that letteth out wine or refreshing water to others, but thou thyself tastest not of it; or like the hand that directeth the passenger, but thou thyself standest still." Attention to personal piety is a blessed preparation for public usefulness.—Christian Teacher. SONG ANCHOR. By J. E. WHITE. For the Sabbath-school, Praise Service, and Fireside. 164 pages, on heavy, tinted paper. Price in board covers, 35 cents; $3.60 per dozen. Bound in cloth, 50 cents; $5 per dozen. TEMPERANCE AND GOSPEL SONGS. By J. E. WHITE. Acknowledged by competent judges to be the best book of the kind ever issued. The music is new, by our best authors. Price in board covers, 30 cents; $3.50 per dozen. SONG ANCHOR and Temperance and Gospel Songs. The above named books bound together. Board covers, 60 cents; $6 per dozen. Cloth, leather back, burnished red edge, 80 cts.; $8 per dozen. SONGS FOR CLASS AND SCHOOL. By J. E. White and Frank M. Davis. For Singing-school, Day-school, Convention, and Fireside. Nearly every piece is written specially for this book by our best authors. A new system of instruction is introduced, which is invaluable to the new teacher as well as to the old, as it maps out the work for each lesson, and tells how to teach it. 160 pages. Price in board covers, 35 cents; $3.60 per dozen. A liberal discount to teachers. Address, PACIFIC PRESS, Oakland, Cal. Scripture Lesson.—Esther.
By Uriah Smith
PETER speaks of being "established in the present truth." 2 Peter 1:12. Every age which has been marked by a special work of God, has had its present truth relating to that special work. It was so in the days of Noah. The most terrible judgment that has ever fallen upon the wicked race of man, came in the days of Noah; the most terrible, because it was universal. It reached the whole race, Noah and his family alone excepted. And he escaped only by paying heed to the special message given for that time, and doing the special work which that message required. To Noah it must have been a work of crosses and trials. It is not pleasant to human nature to stand alone against the multitude—against the whole world,—and to take a position which assumes, if it is not distinctly so stated, that all the world is wrong and he alone is right. Noah did thus condemn the world; and this condemnation must have affected both their consciences and their feelings. But somebody had to act the part assigned to Noah, and it was fortunate for him that he accepted the position, and did not shrink from the heavy cross which it involved. And most unfortunate for those who stood in the strength of the majority, and refused to accept his warning and to join in his work. There was condemnation on both sides; the whole world condemned Noah during the progress of his work, and the whole world was condemned by his work when the providence of God fulfilled the threatening which he had proclaimed. There was this important difference; the condemnation which was put upon him was only crossing; it ended in no serious results; while the condemnation which he threw upon them ended in their final ruin. It was one versus millions, and the one obtained the victory, because the truth of God was with him. Let those who delight in statistics, and point to majorities, take warning. And this is the exact truth in the case of Lot, except that the judgment which came in his day was not of the same extent. He, as Noah, had a present truth to proclaim, and life and death depended upon the issue. In both cases—yes, in all such cases—it belongs to the time in which it is or is to be given, and will not apply to any other age. Moses had a present truth to proclaim and to carry out, and his case stands before us as both an example and a warning. Moses—he who developed into the bold and intrepid Moses—was a meek man, as the Scripture says, and so far shrank from the very thought of meeting the face of his fellow man that he lost part of the honor which primarily belonged to his position and his work, and came dangerously near to losing his position entirely. But the meek—the naturally meek—are not out of the reach of temptation and of danger when the responsibility of position is assumed. When Moses filled the office from which he shrank with so much timidity, he took a glory to himself which belonged to God alone, and thereby lost somewhat of the glory which belonged to the position which he occupied. The experience of Moses is full of lessons for the people of God in these days. It is not necessary to specify further cases, as the remarks here made apply alike to all. Luther occupied a position not to be envied, as viewed from any worldly stand-point. It was not alone on the occasion of his entering Worms that prudence and policy would have indicated the propriety of a retreat, or, at least, the taking of more conciliatory ground than that which seemed to be in the line of duty, and which God in his providence honored with success. The case of Esther, though not often considered as one intimately connected with this subject, is of great interest, and presents important lessons for our times. 1. It was a time of great earthly danger to God's people. Their enemies had all the power of the kingdom in their favor, and appeared to have the victory just within their reach. They had fortified themselves with reasons which were considered sufficiently strong and urgent to justify their course, even to the extermination of that people whose "laws are diverse from all people." This diversity was owing to their holding to the commandments of God, from which "all people" beside them had departed. 2. Mordecai's instruction to Esther was impressive as bearing on her responsibility. "Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" It is even so. In every time of danger to his people God provides a means of deliverance—some person or persons to stand in the breach, through whom He can give a needed warning, or a call to duty, such as may be necessary to provide a way of escape for the righteous, and leave the rebellious without excuse. 3. Neglect of duty on the part of such will not frustrate the purposes of God's grace. Said Mordecai to Esther: "If thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place." Had Noah refused to give the warning or to build the ark, his refusal would not have prevented the work, or stayed the flood from coming. Both the work and the event were certain; their accomplishment did not depend upon the individual called to the work. Moses might have continued to make excuses and finally refused to meet the wrath of the king; but the time for deliverance had come; God's word was pledged to Abraham that it should be accomplished, and he would have provided the means necessary to its final success. God's purposes are not at all dependent on man's acquiescence. 4. But a refusal to do the work will prove disastrous to the person or persons called to it. In case of Esther's refusal, Mordecai said deliverance should come otherwise, "but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed." 5. Esther's position was both crossing and dangerous. She believed the warning of her pious uncle, and was resolved to do her duty. But, it might be death to go in before the king uninvited, as she was obliged to do. She had not been called to appear in the king's presence for thirty days, and the enemy of her people was busy, having received favor of the king, preparing for the utter destruction of her people. In this extremity she spent a time in fasting and prayer, and went forward, and God gave her favor with the king, and through her, deliverance to herself and her people. 6. In the eyes of those who had no part in the work, or no special faith in its accomplishment, the course of Esther might have appeared to be presumptuous. Wait, they would say, until the king invites you into his presence; let Providence prepare a favorable opening, and then improve it. Wait; the time is not a propitious one. The mind of the king is poisoned against your people. Haman is busy, and the people are just now excited by an order which the king has made at his instigation. Under her circumstances it would have been a great relief to Esther if she could have received, and been permitted to follow, such advice. But it would have been fatal to her, and perhaps to many of her people. Deliverance must come then. The crisis was upon them; the enemy was doing his work successfully, and it was time that the work of the Lord in behalf of his people should also be done. The "sure word of prophecy" indicates that the greater crisis than this world has ever seen is approaching. It comes with full and sufficient warning. Christ and all the prophets have spoken of it, warned in reference to it, and threatened for neglect of it. Jesus gave signs whereby we may know when it is near. Daniel traced the course of events in their succession so that we can to a certainty mark its approach. John took up this line of events, amplified upon the approaching close of the dispensation, and put on record three messages to the world which are to be followed by the appearing of the Son of man to reap the harvest of the earth. The third and last of these messages is now being given. It is contained in Rev. 14:9–12, and is couched in terms the most terrible found in all the word of God. It is a warning against the worship of the beast—the papacy; and his image—Church and State in this (professedly) Protestant land; and his mark—the counterfeit Sabbath, Sunday, erected by the Papacy, and maintained by its professedly Protestant followers. We have no hesitancy in openly declaring these facts. "The Scriptures cannot be broken." If we are in error, let "the wise, the reverend heads" rise up and correct us. We must know what these things mean, for we cannot afford to let that day come upon us unawares. Jesus commands us to know when it is near, even at the doors. It is in reference to this very time, and the reform now called for in regard to the Sabbath of the Most High that the prophet is instructed to say, "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression." Isa. 58:1; see verses 13, 14. "Do not be so positive," say our opposers; "we, also, are the people of the Lord—the servants of the Most High." We do not dispute it; but it is the Lord's people whose transgression must be exposed and rebuked. It is the Lord's servant who says: "My Lord delayeth his coming." The Lord also acknowledged Israel in Egypt as his, even his first-born; yet they fell in the desert for their presumption and transgression. And a day more terrible than that is coming. Jesus will not always plead for the violators of the divine law. He will come "taking vengeance;" the great day of "the wrath of the Lamb" will come, and in that day "who shall be able to stand?" 2 Thess. 1:7, 8; Rev. 6:12–17. Brethren, friends, we dare not hold our peace; that day is surely hastening; as in old time, they who are called to be the people of the Lord are fulfilling the prophecy against themselves. If we fail to give the warning, then "deliverance will arise from another place," but we shall be put to shame. We love the approbation of our fellow-men—we cannot deny it; but we love the favor of God far more. Seeing these things approaching,—having "a dispensation of the gospel committed to us," we dare not risk the consequences of withholding our testimony. We dare not apologize for proclaiming the Third Angel's Message (Rev. 14:9–12), even though it may sound unpleasant in the ears of those who choose not to heed it. It is the word of the Lord, and we dare neither to withhold it nor modify it. We would that the Message might be heeded more generally than it is, or is like to be. But the consequences are not ours. The Lord commands to sound the alarm "whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear." May God help those who are appointed to proclaim it, and have mercy upon those who hear it.